Chapter 120: Old He. Critical Wounds
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
As he spoke, the crowd nodded in agreement.
"However, I still have one suspicion besides these easily available people." The white-bearded elder stopped for a bit before saying softly "I suspect that… this might be done by the Nine Supremes."
"The Nine Supremes?"
Everyone was stunned beyond belief.
The crown prince’s expression changed only slightly before he hurriedly asked, "Why do you think so?"
The elder looked hesitant as he said, "This… This old and useless one is only guessing, there is no hard evidence. I am merely speculating."
The crown prince’s expression grew heavier, emotions danced in his orbs but the meaning behind them was too complex to be understood.
After some time, the crown prince suddenly said in a low voice, "If the Nine Supremes really did get involved, why are they partaking in this? There should be a reason somehow. Besides, what kind of gain could they take from this?"
No one could answer the crown prince’s question.
If they went along the same line of thought, the consequences that followed would be too terrifying to face.
The final stage of this line of thought would only mean that the Nine Supremes were against the crown prince!
"Hold on to this thought first. After all, there’s no evidence or hints that could say that the Nine Supremes are really involved in this." The crown prince murmured as if comforting himself.
The elder smiled while stroking his heard. "It would be good to do so. Itis just this old and useless one’s feeling anyway. I don’t have any proof of it myself, so the Nine Supremes really are the least suspicious."
However, the more he said so, the more the crown prince grew agitated.
Could it really have been the Nine Supremes?
The Nine Supremes had never seemed to act for personal gain so there was no significance in saying that they had the least suspicion!
…
Such secretive discussions happened almost every day at the princes’ residences.
Many wild guesses were thrown about, but it was hard to come to a conclusion. After all, there would be no truth without any hard evidence!
Yet, somehow, all forms of discussion and discussion would come to a crashing halt when they came to the Nine Supremes.
Silence filled the air.
A gust of autumn wind blew through the sky; Yun Yang had flown through all the corners of the ten targets but did not come across any clues.
He was, however, not one that was easily discouraged. Instead, he bent his will into a more focused searched.
It would have been even more suspicious if it had been so easy to unveil the intricate scheme of the Four Seasons Tower.
Patience was definitely a mandatory virtue when going against the Four Seasons Tower.
Just as he ended the day's search and was about to head back to the Residence of Yun, he suddenly felt an unusually strong tingling sense emanate from somewhere behind him, a sense that disappeared as quickly as it came.
Yun Yang noticed the oddity of the occurrence and instinctually headed towards the direction.
The autumn night was clear with hardly a cloud in the sky.
The autumn wind swept by; it was now late in the night. The meeting at the crown prince’s residence had ended; the silver-haired elder exited the place with clumsy steps.
Han Wufei followed him out. "Do allow me to send Old He back as thanks for speaking on behalf of my brother and for being generous tonight."
Old He chuckled tiredly, his age apparent, "I would trouble Sir Han then. This old and useless one is rather tired too. I could talk to Sir Han on the way, the atmosphere in the hall was too heavy anyway."
Hearing their conversation, the crown prince canceled his orders to the guards to send them back and said, "If so, have a safe trip back and a good rest tonight."
The crown prince was exhausted as well; he had only pushed on to maintain the gentlemanly ways of a scholar. Seeing the crowd leaving, he yawned surreptitiously and went to rest.
Old He and Han Wufei walked out of the crown prince’s residence and made their way home through the quiet streets, the silence surrounding both of them.
Under the illuminating stars, the lines and wrinkles signifying old age were clear on Old He’s face. His legs seemed to be wobble as they walked.
It was obvious to anyone with eyes that this man had already seen a better part of life.
After some time, the duo came before Old He’s doors. It was then that Han Wufei finally lowered his voice and said, "Old He, is it too early to dismiss the Nine Supremes as suspects?"
Old He’s gaze glinted mysteriously as he said softly, "Han Wufei!"
The words were enunciated with distinct diction.
An overwhelmingly dangerous aura spilled out from the elder before quickly dissipating. Despite its brief flash of existence, the intimidating aura had Han Wufei breaking out in cold sweat and trembling.
It was the same aura that had surprised Yun Yang, high up in the air.
"Yes, it’s this subordinate’s mistake. But… this subordinate still feels that there’ll only be more harm than good to throw this out to the crown prince now. We don’t have proof after all…" Han Wufei was explaining himself nervously, "If things go awry, we might cause undue panic instead…"
The autumn breeze blew past in the sky, gently, without a trace.
The silver-bearded elder said softly, "You don’t have to worry about this, I’ll…"
Halfway through his speech, Old He suddenly stopped. An overwhelming force burst like an erupting volcano from him, soaring abruptly as he lifted his head to holler, "Come down!"
The two words were like deafening thunders breaking the clear sky.
He flipped his bony palms and struck out at the air.
Sharp, strong winds appeared as they formed layers of shards, shooting towards the sky.
Not only was the force immensely strong, Old He’s strike was also wide in its attack range, covering hundreds of feet in radius.
A howl came as if the autumn wind in the sky had been torn to pieces by the attack.
A deep and wicked ly dark hole had actually formed in the sky! The black hole seemed to be able to devour anything and everything in the human realm as it emitted an extreme sense of chilling terror.
The autumn wind had been weakened, yet it remained, blowing faintly in the air up high.
The chill of autumn cooled the hearts of passioned men.
However strong the force of a man, how could it extinguish the wind of nature?
Old He stood before his door, stiff and unmoving for a full quarter of an hour, his ears tuned to pick up any movement in the air. After a long while, doubt came into his eyes as he scoffed, "Is nothing there?"
When Old He had suddenly struck, Han Wufei had immediately taken three steps back, his body coiled like an arrow ready to take flight.
When Old He retracted his force, Han Wufei grew bold enough to approach. His voice was low when he asked, "Old He… what did you find out?"
Old He frowned, his gaze darted around the sky as he spoke softly, "It was very odd. I realized that the sound of the wind changed… I sensed a feeling of being watched secretly… My attack was just to be safe, but there was nothing out of the ordinary when I sent out my probe."
Han Wufei’s heart skipped a beat as his voice went even lower. "Did Old He mean… Supreme Wind?"
The last two words were so faint that it was almost inaudible.
Only Supreme Wind’s mystical methods of wind could allow one to lurk closely and observe the world without leaving any trace.
Old He frowned and kept quiet for some time, his expression grew grim. "Yes, if Supreme Wind wasn't already dead, and I wasn't just an old man with an overactive imagination."
Han Wufei’s expression fell.
"Never underestimate their ability to morph." Old He’s expression was serious. "Be extra careful next time. Think it through before you speak and take action. Don’t move if you don’t have to! Not until the day when nothing would go wrong has come. Understood?"
Old He’s eyes that were misted with age were dark and inky now, like the vile black hole that appeared earlier.
"Yes."
"Don’t ever mention these words in whatever situation you find yourself in," Old He warned again.
"Yes."
Old He remained standing by the door with his arms behind his back, frowning deeply. He cast his eyes towards the sky occasionally, as if still waiting for something.
After a very long time when even Han Wufei felt tired from standing, Old He finally said, "Looks like there's nothing to be worried about. Go home."
With a flap of the sleeve of his robe, he turned to enter his residence.
Only then did Han Wufei bow with a palm cupping his fist, as if being pardoned from a crime, and leave at a quick pace. After covering several feet of distance, he used his cultivation skill and disappeared at the end of the street like a billow of smoke.
The wind was still blowing softly as if it could go on forever.
After some time, Old He’s aged silhouette appeared by the door again. His head was lifted to stare into the night sky, his body still and unmoving for a long, long while.
It was at the break of dawn, when the first glimpse of light tore through the horizon in the east when heaven and earth were once again illuminated, that Old He finally turned to slowly enter his residence.
He was mumbling to himself; or perhaps, to someone else altogether.
"Supreme Wind… if you are alive, this old man will thank god with incense. The whole of Yutang is at stake, all the other empires in the continent are ready to pounce. Yutang can't do without its nine sirs."
His voice was the sincere wish of an elder who had seen better days praying devotedly to heaven, making a wish he hoped would come true.
…
The day gradually grew brighter.
Fang Mofei and Lao Mei were frantically cultivating in the residence, wholeheartedly improving themselves.
Suddenly, a soft pop resonated in the air as a person fell from the sky.
A shocked Fang Mofei charged forward towards the fallen person. The figure in a purple robe was none other than Yun Yang.
Yun Yang was pale as a sheet, his breath coming in short gasps as if he would keel over and die at any moment. Even his pupils were widely dilated with pain.
Seeing that it was Fang Mofei running over, Yun Yang could finally relax. His mouth opened and poured out a river of blood which couldn't seem to cease.
Before he could even say a word, his head tilted back as he passed out into a cold darkness.